Viewing the 'Exercise/Wii Fit Log' Category

Why is an entry about an iPhone appropriate for a financial blog? Well, ultimately, everything we do has financial impact so why not. Besides, a device that simplifies your life and can even save you money definitely fits the topic.

Anyway, enough rationalization. I got an iPhone 3G in early 2009. At the time, I thought it was terrific. It could do all kinds of things - check email, get online, play games, take pictures, record video, etc.

The 3G had one major fault, though. It was agonizingly slow. Many of the apps available simply didn't live up to their potential usefulness because the phone was just too darn slow. Yes, it is nice to have a device in your pocket that can be phone, computer, camera, GPS, game player, movie viewer, and more, but if it is too slow to actually accomplish those things, it isn't quite as impressive.

Enter the iphone 5. I got this just before Christmas when WalMart cut the prices. A phone that is $199 everywhere else was $127 at WalMart. I was planning to upgrade anyway and that made the decision even easier.

This phone is GREAT! It is lightning fast and all of those apps that had great potential before have actually now become useful in the real world. I've even started seeking out new apps for specific tasks which is something I rarely did on the old phone. This week, I got a running log app to record my treadmill time. I also got an app called Money Monitor that I've started using to record all of my medical survey income. I used to do that with pen and paper in my datebook. Then at the end of each month, I had to manually add up the total for the month. Now, each time I get a payment, I enter it on the app and anytime I want, I can quickly see how much I've earned so far that month (or year to date as the year progresses).

Sorry to sound like an iPhone commercial but for anyone thinking about it, now is definitely the time to go for it, or upgrade if you have an older model like I did.

I got away from blogging about my exercise routine but I didn't stop exercising. For the month of October, of the 28 days I was home (we were out of town for 3 days) I worked out on Wii Fit 9 times, so an average of about every 3 days. That's okay and far better than what I was usually doing before we got the Wii Fit program, but I still want to do better. I'd like to get up to 12-15 times/month. That's my goal for November.

We are really enjoying Wii Fit. All 3 of us use it regularly. I started doing 20 minutes or so and the past few times have done 30 minutes or more. For anyone looking for a relatively inexpensive way to get in shape and have fun doing it, I'd highly recommend it.

I realized I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. Nothing particularly exciting has been going on but I figured I'd give some updates.

1. Even though I stopped doing the Exercise Log entries, I have not stopped exercising. I'm still working out with Wii Fit. I think I did 22 minutes tonite.

Now that I've had it for over a month, I would still highly recommend it for anyone looking for a home exercise regimen. Much more convenient than a gym, not dependent on the weather and you can exercise on your own schedule. It is even portable if you go out of town and want to pack it. As long as you have a TV to hook it to, you're all set.

Not only that, but the other night, the TV was in use so I just went upstairs and did several of the exercises I've learned from Wii in our bedroom. You can't do the balance games but can certainly do the yoga, strength training and aerobic ones.

2. My wife and I visited a local casino (Chester, PA) last week. I won $93 and she won about $12. We had a casual dinner at their sports bar and just had a nice evening out. We're planning to go again on Saturday morning while our daughter is at a school program. We'll play a little and maybe do an early lunch or snack.

3. Got the van fixed today. It had failed inspection for an emissions problem. Repairs came to almost $1,500. I know I could have had it done cheaper elsewhere but the dealership is so convenient. They provide excellent service, a free rental and I trust that they know what they're doing. They did recommend some other work be done (like front brakes and tires) but I decided to shop around for those things. Now I just have to get it back to DMV to get re-inspected.

4. We had to scrub our annual Disney World trip. My daughter was hand-picked for a special school program that meets every Saturday for 6 weeks and that conflicts with when we were going to go. We're all bummed since we have been going annually for a long time (my daughter just turned 13 and has been there 14 times). We're talking about going next summer instead. We'd love to go for more than a week so we could do that then. Can't do it during the school year.

5. Since we can't go to Disney, we may just go away for 2 days that week when my daughter has no school. We're deciding where to go. Lancaster, PA is always on our list so that's probably where we'll end up.

6. As I mentioned on the boards, I got 2 books for doing medical surveys. I put them on Half.com and sold one within 24 hours for $7.99. The other one is still listed but hasn't sold yet. Since I got them for nothing, anything I make is okay with me.

7. Watching my portfolio dissolve right along with everyone else but keeping my cool. 18 years until retirement and 6 until college so time for things to turn around. I'm sorry that I already maxed our Roths for the year. I would have liked to have been putting that $10,000 in now instead of earlier in the year like I did. Oh well.

Miserable rainy day today so no outside walk. I did 19 minutes on Wii Fit. I'm making it a point to do a couple of each type of exercise each time and not do the same ones either. I unlocked a new balance exercise, Bubble Balance, and did that a couple of times. Also did strength, aerobic and yoga.

I could have hopped on the treadmill (and still might) but right now I'm taking a break to do some work for the Bat Mitzvah. I have a lot of graphics and printing work to do and trying to do some every day so I'm not scrambling to finish it all the week before.

Today was a Wii Fit day. DW and I each did 16 minutes of exercises. I did an assortment of yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance. I gave my wife quite the laughing fit watching me attempt the push up/side plank strength training. I suck at push ups to begin with and trying to coordinate my movements with the on-screen trainer is tough. When you are in a push up position, you can't exactly see the TV, so I had my wife calling out when I should change positions. Then, the routine called for 6 reps. Well, I was shot after 3 and took my hands off the board. That prompted the computer to say, "Are you still there?" which my wife found quite hysterical.

I'm starting a new category in my blog. No, it isn't money related directly but I do feel exercise is vitally important to your well being all around. You can have a vault full of money but if you aren't healthy enough to enjoy it, what's the point.

What really prompted this was my thread about us getting the Wii Fit unit this past Sunday. Someone suggested that in a month, it might be collecting dust like many others. I'm hoping that won't happen and figure that by posting here, I'm helping to make myself accountable to someone.

My wife and I started walking for 30 minutes almost every night about 2 weeks ago. Her reason, of course, had nothing to do with health. She just wanted to make sure she looked good for our daughter's Bat Mitzvah at the end of this month. I was happy to walk with her and we've only missed 3 or 4 days in the 2 weeks when we simply weren't home all day.

We got the Wii on Sunday 9/7 and I used it then, 9/8 and 9/9. I have not yet used it today. Not sure if I will or not. DW and DD are out tonight so I took the opportunity to take a solo bike ride, something I haven't done in ages. I did about a 45 minute ride, which was much farther, faster and harder than the rides I normally take with DD. She is an ok rider but doesn't yet have the confidence or endurance to do the kind of ride I did today. So if I don't get on the Wii tonight, I won't feel bad. Heck, I'll consider myself lucky if I can walk when I get up tomorrow.